The 23-year-old scored in the 10th minute of Stoke's 4-2 defeat to Monaco in a pre-season friendly at the weekend, tapping in a rebound after Giannelli Imbula's initial shot came back off the post.
The former West Brom man was delighted to get on the scoresheet and is eager to hit the ground running in the 2017/18 season.
"I'm hungrier than ever really," he told the Stoke Sentinel. "I've missed this so much and now I'm up and running, I'm sharper and I'm feeling happy."
"I have always tried to keep doing what I do, trying to right arrears and finally my luck was there for me and I managed to get the first goal.
"I'm happy, right now it's about getting the rhythm back and I've come back in good shape and I think I'm getting in good areas. Hopefully, more will now follow."